Men's Rowing

Stage is Set for 2010 WCC Rowing Championships

Apr 29, 2010

As released by the West Coast Conference

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - The West Coast Conference
women's rowing championships take place this Friday at Lake Natoma
in Rancho Cordova, CA. The annual event began in 1997 and Gonzaga
has dominated the event, winning 12 of the 13 titles. Loyola
Marymount is the only other school to capture the title, winning
the championship in 2006.

The West Coast Conference added women's rowing to its list of
championships in 1997, with five of the league's eight member
schools, Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Saint Mary's, San Diego, and
Santa Clara, fielding teams. The event has been held at Lake Natoma
in Rancho Cordova, California, since its inception.

The Zags reclaimed their crown in 2007 after Loyola Marymount
made history in 2006, taking the WCC title to end Gonzaga's
nine-year reign at the top of the conference. Although the two
teams finished even in the points standings, the Lions took first
in the I-Eight race at Lake Natoma to claim the championship over
the Bulldogs.

Directions to Lake Natoma
From Highway 80:
Heading West from Auburn or East from Sacramento or San Francisco
take the Sierra College Blvd. exit (in the City of Rocklin) and
turn South on Sierra College Blvd. In about 6 miles Sierra College
Blvd. becomes Hazel Ave., continue South through the town of
Orangevale and finally across the American River. Your first left
after the river is the Aquatic Center. Turn left onto Gold County
Blvd./Nimbus Rd. Follow the road into the Aquatic Center parking
lot.

From Highway 50:
Heading West from Lake Tahoe or East from Sacramento or San
Francisco take the Hazel Ave. (Exit 21). Go North onto Hazel Ave.
Proceed approximately .5 to Gold County Blvd./Nimbus Rd. (the
second stop light) turn right. Follow the road into the Aquatic
Center parking lot.

2009 WCC ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
The Gonzaga University women's rowing program continued to
dominate the West Coast Conference Championship, winning it for the
12th time in 13 years Friday at Lake Natoma in Sacramento, Calif.
The Bulldogs, who had swept all three races in the previous three
championships, had to win two races and place second in another to
earn enough points to claim the victory over the University of San
Diego. The Zags finished with 29 points, while second place Toreros
accumulated 25. Rounding out the championships was Loyola Marymount
coming in third with 14 points; Saint Mary's placing fourth with 13
points and Santa Clara earning eight points for fifth place.

The Zags posted a first place finish in the I-Eight (Varsity 8+)
for the third time in the last four years with a time of 6:37.6,
finishing three seconds ahead of San Diego, who crossed the finish
line at 6:40.5. Saint Mary's took third for the second-straight
season with a time of 6:46.6, followed by Loyola Marymount in
fourth at 6:58.3 and Santa Clara in fifth at 7:06.6.

In the II-Eight (Second Varsity 8+), Gonzaga took first for the
10th-straight year with a finish of 6:54.0. The Bulldogs were the
only school to finish the II-Eight with a sub-7 minute time. San
Diego again came in second with a 7:03.5 mark. Loyola Marymount was
third (7:11.5), Saint Mary's took fourth (7:16.0) and Santa Clara
was last (7:19.7).

Despite placing second, the Zag I-Four raced a great race. The
Bulldogs crossed the finish line six seconds behind first place
finisher San Diego with a time of 7:46.6. The Toreros won the
opening race of the championship with a time of 7:40.0.

WCC TEAM NOTESSanta Clara University
- The Santa Clara Broncos are looking to improve upon last year's
fifth place finish.

- Santa Clara was picked fifth in the 2010 WCC Rowing Head
Coaches poll with eight points. Senior Gabby Alexander was named to
the preseason all-conference team.

- The Santa Clara University women's crew team and first-year
head coach Anne
Kennedy opened the 2010 season on the water of Lake Natoma in
Sacramento at the Sacramento Invitational on March 13. SCU's
Varsity 4 "A" boat finished second in the Varsity 4s.

- The Broncos best finish at the WCC Championships came back in
2007 and in 1999 when they tied for second place.

Gonzaga University
- Since the WCC Women's Rowing Championship was established in
1997, Gonzaga has claimed the conference crown 12 out of 13
years.

- The Zags, who swept all three races in the previous three
championships, had to win two races and place second in another
last year to earn enough points to claim the victory over the
University of San Diego.

- Gonzaga was picked as the favorite in the 2010 WCC Preseason
Coaches poll and landed three rowers on the preseason
all-conference team in seniors Liz Moore, Alissa Stempson, and
Samantha Cekovic.

- Gonzaga is coming off of a strong showing in its competition
versus in-state rivals Washington State and Western Washington in
which the Zags won two races and placed second in two others.

Loyola Marymount University
- Loyola Marymount is the only other school to capture the WCC
Championship, winning the event in 2006.

- The Lions are coming off a third place finish at last year's
championships and have placed in the top three for the past six
years running.

- LMU was picked third in the 2010 WCC Preseason Coaches poll,
while junior Michelle Herrerias was the only Lion among the eight
rowers selected to the preseason all-conference team.

- The Lions rowed to wins in the varsity eight, second varsity
eight, and novice four on the final day of the NorCal/SoCal
Challenge in the final tune-up before the West Coast Conference
Championships.

Saint Mary's College
- The Gaels come into the competition off a fourth place finish at
last year's championships.

- The Gaels turned in a strong showing at the NorCal/SoCal
Showdown, wrapping up the weekend with the varsity-8, and second
varsity-8 boat taking silver just behind WCC rival LMU.

- Saint Mary's best ever finish at the WCC Championships came in
2007 when the Gaels tied for second place.

University of San Diego
- San Diego has finished in the runner-up position at the WCC
Championships the past two seasons.

- The Toreros have been the next most consistent team behind
Gonzaga, finishing second in nine of the 13 championships.

- Powered by its win in the I-Four race, USD tallied 25 points
in last year's championship to finish just four points behind
Gonzaga. The 25 points ties the 2000 season for the most points the
Toreros have ever tallied at the WCC Championships.

- The Torero's enter the WCC Championships after a strong
showing in a three team duel with No. 12 UCLA and No. 16 Oregon
State. USD's Varsity 8 had a solid race jumping ahead of OSU in the
first 1000 meters and maintaining contact with UCLA. After a
closely contested battle, the race was decided at the finish line
when the Toreros crossed the line 1.1 seconds behind OSU and 3.9
seconds behind UCLA with a time of 6:33.85.